you rule a kingdom but i rule your heart
by Aleas
Summary: AU. At eight years old, Katara is sent by her family to the Fire Nation so she can get a better education. At least, that's what they told her. She leaves her Tribe, her family, and all she knows and sails to the capital to live in the Fire Palace, heartbroken and homesick. There is no way back to the Water Tribe, and so begins her life in the Fire Nation. Where will it lead her?
1. parts 1-2

Zutara Week Day 3: Memories

 **Authors Note: This is an AU. Sokka is much older than all the others. Katara is eight at the start of the story and he is sixteen (eight year difference). The storyline is very much different, so this story takes place at around Fire Lord Azulon's reign, around the time Azulon was assassinated in the original series. Roku is still alive and Aang is not frozen in the iceberg. The Southern Water Tribe is a backwards nation, due to Fire Lord Sozin's war which completely crippled them, which was stopped when he was killed in battle and his son, Azulon took over. Just some bg info to clear up everything and prevent confusion. Also, This story has been divided into three parts. Enjoy 3**

-the 2 noobs

 **you rule a kingdom but i rule your heart**

 **-part 1-**

On the day that Katara arrived at the Fire Nation, she had puffy red eyes and a snuffle from the crying. Just days ago she had clung on to her mother, only to be ripped away by her father and sent onto the big black ship that was always so hot. She had stayed in her room for most of the journey – the only reason she even went out was to stare longingly into the horizon to catch a glimpse at even the last Water Tribe iceberg that passed by. The moment she lost sight of that, she just stayed in her room. Food came, sometimes so did people, and sometimes toys and whatever things the others thought that would cheer a sad child. They didn't. The food was bland, and everything was dry. Everything was sad.

Then she had seen the Fire Nation. Hot, red. Dry. Smoke coming out from its centre. Red. Her home was warm and soft and full of love and family. It was blue and calm and made her feel good. In the fire Nation everything was dark and striking and all angles. The walls were spiked and the grass-less ground was nothing like a soft cushion of snow. Then a bump, loud chattering as soldiers came home. She wasn't home. It was supposed to be her home. But just because something is supposed to be your home doesn't mean it is. She stepped on to sand. She was greeted by a friendly man with a beard and a topknot on top of his head. He said his name was Iroh and he was the son of Fire Lord Azulon. He said he was glad that she was here, and that his niece and nephew would be glad to meet her. He mentioned a brother, Ozai, but not very much. Katara looked at his red robes, then at her blue ones. The tears pricked her eyes again. Iroh noticed. "There, there." He said kindly, patting her on the head kindly. "Everything will pass so fast and before you know it, you will be back home again." Katara let the tears flow, and she was led sobbing back to the palace.

She wasn't really clear on why she was there in the first place. Something had passed between her parents as a peace treaty, a start of something good. That Katara would go there to study in the Fire Nation. That the Water Tribe's teachers were not enough. Something like that. They barely told her anything, she just eavesdropped. But when her mother helped her to pack, she told Katara that it wouldn't be for long, that it was better for her. Katara knew that she had to learn from somewhere, but at home was good enough, wasn't it?

Katara had asked, "What about Sokka?"

"Sokka is needed here." She said.

Sokka was sixteen and Katara was eight. "Why?"

"He is one of the few male members of our Tribe. He has to protect us with Daddy."

"From what?"

"I don't know." Kya said finally, after a pause. It was an honest answer, but history taught them never to take chances. Especially with children.

Katara didn't like this answer, but her mother wasn't going to say anything else, so ended there. She had heard from her escorts that the Fire Nation education system was famous, almost elite. Was she supposed to be happy? Was that supposed to make you happier? That was good, she supposed. It wasn't much of a comfort though.

But that didn't make her want to go to the Fire Nation even more. One night, she had screamed, and pouted and moped. She had cried into her father's parka, shouting "Idontwannago, Idontwannago, pleasepleaseplease Iwannastatywithyou pleasepleaseplease" but all he did was hold her head and shake his own.

"It hurts us too, sweetie, but we want better things for you." Said Hakoda.

So it was nice when Iroh had comforted her. It was the most she had had in a while. Human words and assurances, rather than the wooden komodo rhino toys they had slid into her room. They were in a pile in the corner. She wanted to burn them. She wanted her stuffed seal. But she had left it under the bed. She had forgot. She expected that she'd forget a lot of things about home.

The first time Katara entered the Fire Nation Palace, she was stunned. Red everywhere, with gold. Hot. Dry. Again. Then the giant throne room, with the Fire Lord, whom she bowed gracefully to, controlling her tears. She was sad, but the Fire Lord didn't need to know. Then she bowed to Prince Ozai, and Lady Ursa. Prince Ozai looked like the Fire Lord, but Lady Ursa looked sad. Like her.

"Katara of the Southern Water Tribe," the Fire Lord's voice boomed. "Welcome to the Fire Nation. Anything we can do to make your stay more comfortable, just ask and you shall receive." At this Katara thought bitterly that they should bring the entire Southern Water Tribe here to make her stay 'more comfortable', to make snow fall from the parched skies, but she forced her mouth shut. "We will let you settle in. Prince Zuko and Princess Azula will show you around. Your classes start tomorrow."

Katara bowed again. As she rose, a skinny young woman scurried out of the shadows and ushered Katara to a door leading into another hallway. Katara was flustered; who was she, why did she needed to be shown out of the room? But mostly it was just how big this palace was. She was brought down a winding path, passage after passage, and she wondered vaguely whether she will even be able to find her way back to the throne room in the first place.

"Your chambers are here, miss." The young woman said, bowing and gesturing to a simple red door.

"No need to call me miss." Katara said quietly.

"Of course, miss." The woman replied quickly.

Katara twisted the doorknob and slipped inside. The room, admittedly, was gorgeous. To the back corner was a huge four-poster bed, fit with gold-and-red drapery, and embroidered bed-covers. In front of it was a massive black wardrobe, which was opened to reveal an assortment of Fire Nation outfits. The front of the room was dominated by a large divan, and a kid-sized desk with parchment, quills and ink stacked neatly on top. The walls were decorated by paintings, mostly of Fire Nation scenery (which wasn't that jaw-dropping to begin with) and some flowers. The Fire Nation insignia was emblazoned all over the place.

Katara suddenly felt out of place in her blue clothing. The woman quickly moved away and she was left alone in this big, big room. The bed could fit her entire family. The clothes could clothe her entire Tribe. The fire in the fireplace was bigger than she had ever seen. She saw that her small brown wooden chests were tucked away in the corner. She sighed loudly and squished herself into a corner of the divan. She hid her face in her knees. Minutes, hours, many moments later, she looked up at the sound of a rapid knocking. The door was flung open and a young boy, who looked a little older than her, shuffled in.

"Hi."

"Hi." Katara said. She still kept her knees tucked underneath her chin.

The boy stared expectantly at her, but she did not say anything, and they just stared at each other for a while, before the boy coughed and said, "What are you wearing?"

"It's my clothes." Katara said simply.

"They're weird."

Katara became angry. "Nice of you to come in and be mean to me. Now leave me alone."

The boy shuffled around awkwardly. "Sorry. I've never seen blue clothes before." Katara stared, dumbfounded.

"Then you've seen them now." She said.

"Yeah."

They stayed like that, until Katara said,

"I'm Katara, by the way."

The boy stepped forwards, and took her hand, shaking it.

"I'm Zuko."

"I figured," said Katara with a grin.

 ** _-part 2-_**

The next time Katara saw her parents again, it was a year later. Sokka was with them, tall, handsome, warm like she remembered him. He still had the goofy smile and a wolf tail. If anything, the only thing that had changed was his voice. Deeper, scratchier. But she loved him the same. Her parents were older. One year and they had aged five. Wrinkles, eye bags. A ready smile but no sparkle. Mother said being Chief wasn't always easy.

They brought presents. Special scents for the Lady Ursa, fancy stuffed toys for the children. Special pelts for wall hangings for the Fire Lord, along with beautiful white bone carvings. Uncle Iroh got a large box of their Water Tribe tea blend. Katara got her old stuffed seal back. It smelt like salt water but it did make her unimaginably happy.

Zuko had accepted his toy with politeness and a smile, but Azula only scowled. Afterwawrds, she would prance around the palace with her two friends Mai and Ty Lee while Katara would walk quietly with Zuko. They had made a smashing pair, the two of them. Water and fire. Polar opposites, but it worked. Katara would make lame jokes and Zuko would tell her that they were lame. Zuko would started rambling about his father and Katara would ramble about _her_ father. Katara would tease Zuko mercilessly at his ponytail while Zuko only sunk into silence, angrily muttering that it was an _Imperial Ponytail._ Zuko smiled and joked, and Katara, grudgingly would admit that his jokes were by far much better than hers. He would reply that the bar wasn't set that high in the first place.

Azula hadn't been particularly welcoming on Katara's first day. She had only scowled, and commented on 'ugly clothes' and a 'fish smell' coming from Katara's end at dinner. Zuko had indignantly said that Katara's clothes were 'fine' and the fish smell was just coming from Azula herself. Katara had blushed furiously at this. One day and the Prince of the Fire Nation was already defending her? Had she really made such an impact?

Later after dinner, Zuko had walked her back to her rooms, since she had been very much lost, and said, "Sorry if I embarrassed you."

"For what?"

"For defending you."

"'s alright."

"Just that, you're the only friend I have right now."

Katara had been taken aback. "Well, _almost-_ friend."

"Close enough," Zuko shrugged. "I guess I've never been the kind of person to make friends. Plus Dad doesn't let just any kid come inside."

"You'll have me."

"Yeah." Zuko smiled at her.

They chatted idly about the food for a while, before reaching Katara's door. "G'night." Zuko said. "See you tomorrow."

"Bye." Katara said quietly. She was about the step into her room when she stopped. "Hey, Zuko?"

He turned. "Mind if you meet me here tomorrow morning? Otherwise I'll be lost again."

Zuko brightened. "Sure."

"Thanks Zuko. Bye." She shut the door. She heard his footsteps as he ran back to his own chambers.

The next morning, when Katara opened the door, Zuko was standing there. He smiled at her. "Nice outfit."

Katara had looked at it. She had worn a simple red tunic-dress, with a drawstring through the middle which gave the top a bunched out kind of look. The sleeves had been gathered at her wrists, and on her feet were a pair of gold sandals. "Thanks. Not as nice as my blue stuff?" She quipped mischievously.

"Uh…almost." Zuko said, with a shrug of his shoulders. "Let's go. Otherwise the Fire Lord will be angry."

Katara hadn't really expected things to be like that every morning, but only until she managed to find her way around, but Zuko just kept coming, and she wasn't going to stop him. In this gigantic palace, where the corridors which all looked the same, it was hard to find your one and only friend.

Zuko and Katara usually spent most of their day together. They attended the same classes with the same teachers, and studied and did their work together. During free time they would feed turtle ducks and play in the courtyards. Sometimes they would prank Azula, Mai and Ty Lee, but it got boring after a while (Azula kept sensing danger; an uncanny ability). Other times they would go have tea with Uncle Iroh. It was weird for Katara to get used to calling him Uncle, but it settled pretty easily once she was in the habit. Every time they visited him, he would get them to taste a new blend, only to brew a hot pot of jasmine tea, and sip on that while enjoying the view of the courtyard his room looked out on. One time, he had made a fruit blend.

"Pomegranate with oolong." Said Uncle. "With a dash of pear."

Katara didn't exactly like it, but for Zuko, who seemed partial to fruit teas, sipped it up as quickly as it came. Uncle smiled at his nephew, then at the Water Tribe girl. "I do not need to ask my nephew whether he likes it. Katara, what do you think?"

"It's tasty." Katara offered.

"Ah, then you must not like it very much." Iroh said knowingly.

"I didn't say that!" Katara blushed ashamedly.

"Don't worry, my dear. Different people, different tea, as I always say." Said Uncle matter-of-factly. "Let me brew you some jasmine."

Zuko stifled a groan. "And for you, my dear nephew, some more of the fruit one?" A cup was put forward eagerly.

Katara looked serenely onto the courtyard, sipping slowly on her jasmine tea. It was peaceful here. The warmth was wonderful. It had been then when she realized that the Fire Nation wasn't as bad as she thought it was.

Zuko was always around his mother, when he wasn't with Zuko. The two seemed to share an unbreakable bond, and Katara didn't dare disturb them when they were together. Zuko would sit by the pond and feed turtle ducks with his mother; Katara would watch. Lady Ursa always seemed so happy when she was with Zuko. She never stopped smiling, she rarely didn't laugh – but next to Fire Prince Ozai, she was silent. She was stone. So Katara left them alone.

When Katara's parents came, they were greeted with the normal procedure. Katara had rushed up to them, on the verge of tears. She almost screamed. When Sokka passed her the seal toy later in her room, she had cried. Big fat tears. Then she felt so tiny, and Sokka so old. So different but just the same. Seventeen and nine. Weren't they curious? She introduced him to Zuko. Zuko had not smiled. Katara had begun to notice that more frequently. That Zuko didn't smile. That he was sad. That Azula was meaner than usual. A simple handshake, an exchange of introductions. Zuko said he had stuff to do. He walked off.

"He's not the brightest rainbow I've seen, Katara. How can you stand him?"

"He's alright. He's just grouchy."

"Aaaaalright."

Afterwards, Katara showed Sokka her writing – which she thought was pretty good, given the circumstances. Sokka praised her readily. "Now, you can write letters!" He said happily, forgetting that most of their family could barely read, and only write the simplest of things. She supposed that was what happened when you were in a tiny village in the South Pole. She felt a bit sad.

Later than night, Katara was curled up in her bed, when she heard people next door arguing. She pressed her ear to the wall. She knew that there was a spare room next door, which her parents were residing in.

"Kya, we have to go back, _soon_." Her father said angrily, though there was resignation in his tone.

"But what about Katara? She's _nine_ , Hakoda. She's nine and she's not seen us for a whole year. We missed a year of her growing up."

"You know what's happening at home. The unrest. Bato cannot keep control for long. People are hungry. They are angry. You know that."

"I know but she's our daughter…Bato can hold on for a few more days, surely."

 _"No he can't!"_ Her father thundered. "There's rebellions. We're a small tribe, but growing fast. People need food we cannot provide. The education is absolutely atrocious. The war, Kya. They took all the things we needed. Our warriors. Our teachers. Our elders."

"Hakoda…" Her mother said sadly. "Our daughter. Our daughter." Her tone suddenly turned angry, and accusing. "You said that we'd be here for at least a week. And one day in and we need to leave?"

"I love her, you know that, but the only reason we sent-"

At this the door flew open, and Sokka came swaggering in. His eyes widened in alarm at the sight of Katara with hands and ear pressed to the wall. He rushed over, but Katara had already fallen onto the mattress with a poof, and was looking at Sokka curiously.

"What do you think you are doing?"

"Nothing," Katara said innocently.

"You'd better be telling the truth."

"I am."

Sokka's lips twitched. He knew she was lying. "Go to sleep, Katara."

Katara resolutely shifted in between the bed clothes. She placed her head on the pillow and stared up at Sokka. "Good night, Sokka."

"Good night, Katara. Sweet dreams."

"Positively sugary."

"Yeah. Positively sugary."

Katara rolled over and shut her eyes, squeezing them tightly. Sokka sat on her bed for a while, watching her, and then got up, a loud sigh escaping his lips.

"She's just a child."

Then he walked out.

The next morning, it was weirdly ominous. Katara quickly got dressed and opened the door, looking for familiar red clothes and ponytail. Not there. Katara shrugged, but couldn't shake off the bad feeling. She checked her parent's room. Not there. She moved through the halls easily, a year of wandering with Zuko was substantial practice, and quickly flitted into the dining hall.

Empty.

There was a terrifying silence overhanging the place. The palace itself was already terrifying, so the weird silence made it even more so. That a huge place like this wasn't alive with activity was unsettling. She moved from important room to important room to not so important room. Then she entered the section where the royal chambers were. She was allowed. She went straight to Zuko's chambers. The door was slightly ajar, and she peeked in through the crack.

"Zuko?"

There was a gasp and a golden eye, smeared with tears appeared. It drew away, revealing a blotchy face and flushed cheeks. His hair was messy, gathered in a simple low ponytail at the base of his neck.

"Oh, it's you."

"Are you alright?" Katara said, alarmed.

Zuko looked deadly serious, when he said, "No."

Katara slid into the room. It was pristine, as usual – except his bed. It was singed on the edges, and a few ruined pillows were sitting sadly on the ground.

"What happened to-"

Zuko slumped into a divan. He started to cry. Katara immediately curled up opposite him, cradling him in her small arms.

"It's okay, Zuko."

"It's not okay." Zuko said angrily. "She's gone. And he's gone."

"Who?"

"My mother!" He said with a wail. "She's gone and Grandpa is dead!"

A horrible thought crossed her mind, but she didn't speak it. "What?"

"My. Mom. Is. Gone." Zuko said slowly, almost furiously. The tears split even more. "How could she leave me?"

"It must be for just a little while."

"No!" He screamed. "It's not! Its not! It's not, it's not, it's not."

"She loves you, Ko."

"If she loved me she wouldn't have left."

"She loves you." She said again.

"She DOESN'T!" A huge blast of fire burst from his fingertips, and licked the furniture around him. Katara shrieked and jumped away; she could feel the fire lick and blister his arms. She saw the burns on her inner arm. Zuko looked mortified.

"Katara, I'm-"

Katara rushed out of the room, crying. She heard a loud crash behind her when the ruined sidetable Zuko had burnt to pieces crumble onto the floor.

She found her parents in their room. Arguing again. Their bags were on the bed, half-packed. Her mother was stubbornly holding most of her clothes in a pile in her hand.

"We can't be here, Kya." Her father said. "The Fire Lord is dead. Everything is going to change."

"Hakoda, we've been here _two days_. Katara-" She stopped when she saw the person she was talking about. "Honey, what are you doing here? And what happened to your arm?"

Katara backed out of the room. "You're leaving? It's only been a day." When she heard to reply, she wandered to her mom, and hugged her leg tightly. "Mom?"

"We have to, sweetie. We have to. You understand, right, Katara? My little girl? Now tell me who did this to you." Her father walked up to her and knelt down, holding her arms with his big hands.

"I don't. I really don't understand." Katara said, shaking her head furiously. She remained close to her mother.

"Mommy and Daddy have to do things at home. Important things."

"Sokka too?"  
"Sokka too."

"You couldn't stay one more day?"  
"Not one more afternoon. Our boat leaves in two hours."

"Uncle Iroh will be a good Fire Lord. He's very nice and makes me tea." Katara said. She remembered her Fire Nation History lessons. "He will help you at home. He will let you stay. "

"Uncle Iroh isn't becoming Fire Lord, Katara. Prince Ozai is. Now, who hurt you?"

* * *

The next few months passed slowly. Zuko stayed in his room. Katara ate under the intimidating gaze of Fire Lord Ozai. Uncle Iroh and his son, Lu Ten, ate with them, but only Uncle talked much. He talked about the sun and the marketplace and tea, mostly. No one contributed to the conversation but Lu Ten, who was a pleasant person. Most of the things Katara knew about Lu Ten was what she had learnt from Zuko. Mostly that he was a brave warrior, and a great leader. He talked to Katara sometimes, but it was very fleeting, and he was way too old to play with children.

Zuko was sullen; sad. Azula was meaner. She was snarky, especially towards Zuko. Constantly belittling him. "If Mom loved you more, she wouldn't have gone." Katara would furiously defend him. "You barely knew Lady Ursa," Katara would shoot back – Azula always flinched, she knew it was true. The "It's your fault she's gone" card had been played more than once. So more than once Katara was outside Zuko's door, pounding on it furiously, begging him it come out. He never did.

Only the next morning would he be at her bedroom door, as if nothing happened. Katara didn't want to feel satisfied with this relationship, but she had to make do. Zuko was sad. She knew how that felt. And she also knew that sadness passed like the rain: all at once, then just puddles.

A year after Fire Lord Ozai was crowned, Katara was ten, and Zuko was decidedly more upbeat. He still maintained that sad aura, that distress, but his bitterness at his mother was mostly gone. It had taken weeks of comforting and assurances, but Zuko slowly managed to see through the grief.

He told her: His mother had visited him that night.

"No matter how things may seem to change, never forget who you are." She had said. Then she had blown by. Like the wind. There one minute, gone the next.

"Then, who are you?" Katara asked Zuko.

"Zuko." He said. "Either that or I don't know anymore."

Katara and Zuko were back on track with their relationship. He joked and laughed. Smiled and strolled. Drank tea and fed turtle ducks. And most of all surprising was, he drank jasmine tea.

Uncle Iroh called it a miracle.

Katara said someone had kidnapped the real Zuko.

Zuko only said that it wasn't that bad.

The years passed by like wildfire. Katara's eleventh birthday,

 _"We'll be friends forever, won't we, Zuko?"_

twelfth,

 _"Yes. I can't imagine us being anything else."_

thirteenth,

 _"You promise?"_

fourteenth,

 _"I promise."_

and then her fifteenth. It had been six years since she had last seen her parents and brother. She had almost forgot what cold felt like. She was in her final year of school, and she was going to go home this winter. Problem was: She didn't know what was home anymore. She wondered if it was normal. She had spent six years in a foreign country - and now it was her home as well. She had grown up. She was no longer the little girl scared of the Fire Nation. She was very much comfortable in it.

Her stuffed seal was in the corner. Not really used very much, and it had long since lost its appeal. Her blue dress she had brought with her seven years ago was still hanging there as well. At least six sizes too small, but pressed and clean and still bright blue, albeit a little faded. When she woke up on the day of her fifteenth birthday, she looked out the window and imagined snow. She tried, but not hard enough. Then, she thought of Sokka. His jokes. His boomerang. His wolf's tail. She saw a twelve-year-old Sokka, throwing snowballs at her and laughing. Snowballs.

Now she knew what snow looked like. It was good.

Zuko was the same. Sixteen, tall, strong, her friend. His hair was different now, not too short, not too long, but enough to tie a neat top knot at the top of his head. Slanted gold eyes. A straight mouth. A sharp jawline. Her friend. Her _best_ friend.

She changed, into a wraparound red top which revealed her navel and loose long pants. She tied her hair into a half-up, half down, and strapped her gold embossed cuff-bracelets around both wrists. She creaked the door open, and smiled brilliantly at the Fire Prince standing outside her door.

"Happy Birthday Katara." He said. "You look beautiful." He passed her a small box.

"Thank you Zuko." She smiled appreciatively at him. She took the box gratefully. "Should we go?"

"Yes, we shall." Zuko said, offering her his arm.

"How chivalrous of you," Katara said, taking it.

Zuko only smiled. There was a hint of a blush in his pale cheeks, but Katara was completely engrossed with being on Prince Zuko's arm.

They walked for a while, before Katara said suddenly, "Remember when you first showed me to my room?"  
"How could I forget?"

"I called you my almost-friend."

Zuko chuckled. "I hope I'm not your 'almost-friend' now."

Katara winked at him. "Definitely not. You've just crossed into the 'friend' zone, and it's only been seven years."

Zuko laughed. "Thanks, Katara."

"For what, being the stone in your boot for half your life?"

"No, for being there."

Katara smiled slightly. "Like I'd be anywhere else."

Zuko's smile disappeared. "You're going home at the end of the year." He remarked.

"Yeah. Though is it really home when I've lived here for half _my_ life?"

"I dunno. I suppose it is. It's where your family is."

"I barely remember what the South Pole looks like. Is that home?"

Zuko remained silent. "You can stay, y'know."

"I know."

They kept walking.

The night was a night of dancing. Katara had danced with several young Fire Nation men, and enjoyed herself, at that. She was slowly building up a theory that every Fire Nation person took a lesson in dance. She and Zuko definitely did. Fire Lord Ozai for some reason was so focused on educating his children in dance. Katara was just there because he had extended the invitation rather harshly after Zuko had asked if she could come along. In fact, the wonderful feast for her birthday, which was a disgruntled arrangement was made by the Fire Lord himself, had been at Zuko's insistence, again. The music had stopped for a while, and Katara was enjoying some punch by the drinks table, when Zuko approached her.

"Don't mind me, just avoiding Azula." He jerked his head in his sister's direction.

Azula was flirting mercilessly with a teenage boy, around Zuko's age; someone from one of their outside classes. She believed his name was Chan. Chan looked a little bit intimidated by the Fire Princess showing such interest. He kept nodding and staring, while Azula shared loudly with him her plans for the world. Tactful. Katara noted to take some tips next time.

Zuko curse softly.

"What's the big deal, hothead? Can't take it that your sisters having more fun than you?"

"It's not that. It's just kind of…gross?"

"Shut up, Zuko, you baby." Katara chided. Zuko rolled his eyes.

The music resumed almost as soon as Katara finished speaking. Her eyes sparkled. "C'mon, Zuko. Let's dance!"

Zuko groaned when he was pulled ferociously onto the dance floor. Katara kept spinning around and around, leaping and twirling and moving so fast, and Zuko did the same. The music was lush, loud, and infectious. The colours of peoples clothes – mostly red and gold – swirled around them, and the little yellow lights which hung from the ceilings game looked magical. The beat of peoples feet stomping across the floor as she music pulsated through the room. She was hypnotised by the beauty of it all, and as much as she hated to admit it; it was all for her – just for her. She kept dancing, she didn't want to stop, then Zuko grabbed her shoulders and he took control.

"Don't call me Ko," he said softly. "That was my name when we were children."

"That's all you'll ever be to me, _Ko._ "

"Really?" Zuko said roughly.

Katara did a quick twirl before replying. "Yes."

Zuko's face hovered close to hers. Dangerously. "Don't call me Ko."

"No." Katara said with a giggle. "Don't act tough with me, Zuko. I've seen you at your worst. I can handle you just fine."

"Is that right?" Zuko replied. His voice was lower, gruffer. The music was faster, wilder, and Katara's heart was in her throat. "Can you handle this?"

"Y-yes." She stammered. Their faces were so close now, she could feel her heart beating like a drum and the blush forming in her cheeks already. She could feel her wishing him to come closer. Closer. _Closer._ He did, almost, painfully close, millimetres apart…

And she ducked away. "I'm tired. I need to go to sleep." She risked a glance. Zuko was almost expressionless, but she could see that he was stunned. "Good night Zuko." The magic, the exhilaration, had disappeared, and cold, hard dread started to pool in her gut as she walked away from the dance as quickly as she could.

He didn't reply.

Katara made her way back to her room, heart racing. What was that? Why did she want it? Her friend…her best friend. What was that feeling? Why did he have to come so close? He was so close.

She rushed into her room and slammed the door behind her. She reminded herself that she was leaving in a few months. A kiss would have broken both their hearts. She wouldn't want to ever, ever, hurt Zuko.

Ever.

She flopped down onto the divan and took a few deep breaths. _It's okay, it could have been harmless. You left didn't you? You didn't know what really_ was _going to happen, right?_ It took her a while, but eventually she managed to calm her frayed nerves. At that point, she slipped the box Zuko had given her earlier onto her lap from where she had placed it before going for the dance on her side-table. It was small, square shaped and was made of a dark black wood. If she closed her fingers around it, it would be a perfect fit, cosily nestled in her fist. A soft gold-hemmed maroon cloth was wrapped around it loosely, and she untied it with a gentle tug. She unlatched the box and pried it open. Heart brimming with anticipation, she folded away the layer of cloth inside and grinned at what lay beneath. From the box, she lifted out a delicate gold chain necklace, with a circular, flat pendant at the middle, engraved with the Fire Nation and Water Tribe insignias, each set with a red and blue stone respectively. She placed the necklace around her neck, and looked at herself in the mirror, liking how it looked. It was simple, and from far the engravings were hard to see, but the two stones were so pretty. She wondered why Zuko had put both the Fire Nation and the Water Tribe's insignia there.

She was pondering about this for a while when there was a knock at the door. A servant, the same woman who had served her on her first day here, walked in. She was more comfortable now, but wouldn't drop the 'miss'.

"Letter for you miss. From your brother, miss."

"Thank you, Sen. Leave it there for me."

Sen set the letter on the dresser and bowed. She walked out. Katara sat for a while more before plucking up the letter. It was in Sokka's scratchy handwriting. Almost illegible, but if you looked closely enough, her name was scrawled across the front. Were those…water stains? Must have been the ice or something. Smiling at the writing, she concluded that it was much better than a year ago. Sokka had started to pick up some basic reading and spelling in his free time, taught by Mom and Dad, but he wasn't up to scratch just yet.

She sliced open the seal with her paperknife and unfolded the letter. The sentences were broken, short, and letters large, as per usual. Not that she got many letters. Sokka wrote sometimes, but they were always looked the same. Big letters with big spacings in between, and even bigger spacings in between words. This one was short, but messier. More water stains. Wow. Must have been wet. They smudged the ink in some parts, and Katara strained her eyes to read it.

 _Dear K,_

 _Bad news._

 _Mom's gone._

 _She luvs you. She sed it everyday befor she died. Wish yu were here with us._

 _Dad n I miss yu._

 _Luv,_

 _Soka_

Katara set down the letter. She walked, robot-like to the mirror. She stared into it. She could barely remember her mother's face, and now she was dead. Sokka wouldn't lie. But her mother had died; from what? She stared at her own impassive reflection, the hand holding the letter slowly tightening its grip on the paper.

Katara wishes she could have felt more emotion instantly upon reading the letter, but she didn't. She found it hard to shed a tear for someone she had half forgotten. So, it took a while for the tears to come. Then she realized - Kya was her mother, and Kya loved her. That was the thought that started the crying. She picked up the envelope and looked inside. Katara cried even more.

She pulled out her mother's necklace.

In the days that followed, all Katara could think was _why, what happened, why did she die, what happened to her, who killed her, WHO? WHO?_

Zuko had understood. His mother was gone. His siblings were distant and so was his father. He barely talked to them without provoking their anger while Katara could barely visualise her own family. Her dead mother. Faceless. Sokka, the face of an eight-year-old kid throwing snowballs. Her father. Fierce. Sad. Too old. She remembered the wrinkles, the eyes. But never his voice.

Katara didn't cry that much, but that didn't stop the bone-crushing feeling she had whenever she re-read the letter. It didn't stop her heart from splitting open when she learnt over and over that her mother was dead. That someone who was part of her, who loved her with all the love you could wish for, and she was dead. Her mother was barely a memory, barely an image in her mind, but Katara's wasn't heartless. Deep down inside she knew; the purest of feelings can never fade for someone you truly, truly loved, no matter how deep you push them into the depths of your heart. They always seem to be unearthed when that person comes back into your life.

 _Our daughter. Our daughter._

A month later, Katara still winded, snuck into a war council. She wasn't even sure why she agreed. It wasn't like it was going to be more fun than hanging out around the emptied palace. She'd gone to political talks before, but never had been involved very much. She only ever went for the ones Zuko himself attended, which was very few. Obviously, Fire Lord Ozai prefered Azula's ferocity to Zuko's calm calculations. Zuko didn't know what he was doing there either. His Uncle was there, had recommended him. They didn't see the harm. Zuko didn't see it, either. None of them did.

Zuko had been outside Katara's room, knocking urgently. When she had opened the door disgruntledly, Zuko had eagerly said that he was going for a war council and he wanted to bring her.

"Why?" asked Katara grimly.

"Because it might take your mind off of things." Zuko said shyly.

Katara had said yes, but ever thought she would have to be snuck in. She was not very happy when she had to squeeze in the back rows of the room, staring straight at the back of a fat noble, unless she craned her neck to the left. Zuko had sat next to Ozai. He smiled slightly when she peeked over the pudgy shoulder.

The war council was very long. Katara was barely listening. She wondered why there was a need for a war council in the first place. Wasn't the war over? This was the first official _war_ council she had gone to. "Our last meeting." Fire Lord Ozai had said. There had been others. Obviously.

"Report, Admiral Zhao." The Fire Lord said.

"We have ended our raids. The first one was around a month ago. The Poles have been ridded of all benders."

The Poles? Katara sat up. She had gotten tired of leaning to the left and bored of the unchanging view, thus had leaned back in her chair. She moved to the left again.

"Good job. How many casualties?"

"Not many sir. At least fifteen prisoners from both Tribes. Only two deaths. One in the North, one in the South."

"Anyone important?"

"Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribe. And another, unnamed from the South. She got in our way."

Ozai laughed.

Katara started to listen. She was focusing now. She couldn't stop the burning anger boiling up at the pit of her stomach. _Water Tribe. She was Water Tribe._ She remembered. The blue dress in her wardrobe, the necklace around her neck told her so; her stuffed seal was from Water Tribe.

"Good work, Zhao."

"It is my honour to be in service to the Fire Lord."

Katara's brain slowly pieced the puzzle together. Another casualty, from the South, unnamed. One month ago. _Around one month ago._ Katara's mind clicked. She felt her legs push out from under her, and heard the scraping of a chair on the ground. She heard footsteps as her feet brought her, running to the front of the council-members. She surprised herself when she screamed at Admiral Zhao.

"You cold-blooded, filthy-faced murderer! _You killed my mother_. You're a monster. Fire Lord Ozai, HE'S A MONSTER!"

The silence that followed was deafening. She bloomed in it. Her anger was unfathomable. Her grief, beyond words. Her mother died because of nothing. A waste of life. They killed her because she was in the way. _And Ozai laughed._ _ **He laughed.**_

"What are you doing here and what did you say, Katara?" Said Ozai, sugary-sweet.

"Your _admiral_." She said furiously. " _Killed my mother._ Remember? The one who _visited me?_ The woman you hosted?" Katara could barely believe what she was saying. She was angry, sure, but what was she doing, arguing with the Fire Lord? "And you laugh? How dare you laugh at the death of an innocent woman? How can you laugh in the information of death?"

"What is the meaning of this, Katara?" Ozai demanded, absolutely enraged. "Are you challenging my morals?"

"Of course I am! He killed my mother! She's innocent!" Katara screamed. "He should pay! He should be jailed, not _praised_!"

"No! He certainly shall not. You shall pay. Admiral Zhao is a valued member of our force. You are not. _You. Shall. Pay._ As for your mother, I barely remember her face." Ozai said maliciously, his golden eyes flashing with anger. He definitely looked a lot like Azula. Nothing like Zuko. Lady Ursa looked like Zuko and she was just like him-

"No!" Zuko rose to his feet. Katara felt her heart sink. _No._ "She doesn't mean it, I swear. She doesn't mean it, she's sick, she can't think straight. Please, believe me. She doesn't know what she's saying. Don't hurt her." Katara cursed under her breath. Why did she come? Sit down, she begged. Take it back. I can take it.

"So it was you, Zuko. My own son. Who disobeyed his father and snuck a child of a ruined nation into _our_ halls." Ozai said slowly. Katara's stomach flipped over because of two things – 'ruined nation', and the warning, the evil in his tone – "She may not think straight, but you certainly do, my dear son."

Zuko didn't stop. "Katara, take it back. Take it back. Apologize and we can leave. It'll be forgotten." He looked at her earnestly. He begged her. There was a layer of something underneath the fear (for her). He wanted her to sit down, she wanted him to sit down. Why? Now both of them had to suffer.

"There will be no such thing happening in this palace! Forgive my son's utter impertinence, my fellow council members. He shall be justly punished. As for you." He turned to Katara. "How dare you talk back to me? How dare you question me? How dare you defy me? How dare you, try to order me, the _Fire Lord_ around? And how dare you enter this war council and willing flaunt the laws? You are a peasant. You are a Water Tribe peasant and peasants don't stay in palaces. You are a failure. You are nothing. You are nothing compared to us. You are nothing compared to kings and princes."

 _But I'm not a killer._

The next morning, Katara was on a boat. Back home. Back to the Southern Water Tribe. Carrying nothing but a Fire Nation education and a deep, deep hatred.

The very same day, a Prince was challenged to Agni Kai by a Fire Lord. "Impertinence is a sign of defiance. Defiance means Agni Kai. Where we settle it like Kings, but only one can sit on the throne."

Thousands watched. Thousands gasped. Fire flew, and there was an animal-like howl. A screech. The sound of pure human torture. The boy that beheld them was horrible. Half of his face had been melted off. Red flesh. Human suffering. Unimaginable. Pain. Iroh's hands would shake, dropping the tea cup he was carrying.

That would heal, but not all things are the same. They hurt every day, every moment of our life. That was the Prince's shame. Shame at losing, shame at his actions, shame of his abilities, and most of all, shame of becoming friends with a Water Tribe girl who had essentially, ruined his life forever. To think he had even – oh, the thought was enough to make him rile. On top of that, something bordering on loathing but not quite.

Thus begins the task of trying to forget for the better of the future. But that never really works out, does it? Because it's the past that makes the future.

 _"We'll be friends forever, won't we, Zuko?"_

 _"Yes. I can't imagine us being anything else."_

 _"You promise?"_

 _"I promise."_

* * *

 **Honestly, when I was proof-reading this, I realised that the story can actually end here. There is an entire third part, so I will be posting it in the next chapter, so if you want, you can stop reading it here. If you like angst and tragic endings, that is.**

 **If you want to know how I wrote it to end, read the next chapter.**

 **See ya on the other side.**


	2. part 3

**Here you go, the third part. Enjoy xx**

 **-Part 3-**

The first time Katara landed in the Southern Water Tribe for seven years, she was exhausted. She was still wearing her Fire Nation clothes, but on top of that was her winter coat that had been specially made for her. Her parents had sent it to her on her fourteenth birthday. It was blue with seal fur. Soft and warm. Like she imagined their hugs would feel like.

She had first started feeling the cold when they started seeing glaciers. She saw snow again. White, wet when squished. The water – blue as her eyes. The ice – white as the fur on her coat. The boat pulled into the dock, or just a jutting out piece of ice, and Katara was roughly man-handled off the boat. She shook herself angrily out of their grasp and stomped down the ice, carrying only a small satchel. Inside were the basics: her mother's necklace, her stuffed seal toy (she figured she'd rather it be with her then sent to be incinerated in the Fire Nation), her tokens from her childhood, her letters from Sokka. Most of her clothes were probably long gone by now. She would have thought Ozai would burn every last remaining trace of her existence in the palace.

Not that she cared anyways.

She kept walking that way, and rounded a bend, then saw the peaks of igloos. It was dangerously cold now, and her body once again had to acclimatise to the sudden temperature change. She walked a little faster. She held in her heart anticipation. She wanted to see Sokka. And her father. And her mother's grave.

When she entered the village, she felt sad again. Like the eight year old girl who had just arrived in the Fire Nation. But she was far away from the Fire Nation. Far from her mother's murderers. _Even Zuko?_ She asked herself. She didn't want to answer, but he was Fire Nation after all. _Yeah, maybe even him._

She stood there, silent, taking it all in. Small igloos, not really with white snow, but dirty snow, especially around the entrances and on the paths. A fire in the middle of the circle of igloos, and only a few skinny children running around playing. There were only about fifteen igloos, not counting the very large one on the far left of the circle. She thought it must be a town hall or meeting place of some sort.

"Katara?"

Katara turned around slowly. A man, of about twenty years of age, was walking towards her. His hair was tied in a simple bun and the top of his head, and his eyes were a bright blue, like hers. It took her a moment, but when the answer came it hit her like a thunderstorm.

"Sokka." She breathed, and she flew at him, throwing her arms around her brother. He engulfed her in a massive hug, his cheek pressed into her head.

"Why are you back so soon?"

Katara didn't reply. She just held on even tighter. After a while, she looked back up. "It's so good to see you again. Where's Dad?"

"He's having a meeting." Sokka said proudly. "The Southern Water Tribe is coming back!"

He was going to go on talking when he saw the confused look on Katara's face. "Oh, Katara. Don't tell me you didn't know."

"I know about the raids – that's why I came back. Because they killed our mother. I know all about the raids, Sokka. Is the Tribe alright?"

Sokka shook his head. "No. Not that that's not it – I mean, it IS part of it – but there's so much more. The war-" He stopped. Do you know it from the beginning?"

"No."

"It's all the Fire Nation's fault." Said Sokka bitterly. Katara felt a wrench of hatred. She knew it. Everything bad started with the Fire Nation. A little voice said: Even friendship?

"They ruined our tribe. Killed our warriors…killed everyone we needed." Sokka stopped suddenly. He looked as if he wanted to continue, but started to walk off, gesturing for Katara to follow. "I'd better bring you in."

Katara itched to know more but she followed her brother anyways. He brought her into a large igloo, which she assumed was his house, and her father's. And hers, if they let her. (They probably would.)

"Dad will be so glad to see you. You can have your old room back." Sokka said earnestly. "There's so much to tell you. And you to tell us. Unless you don't wanna talk about it."

Katara shrugged. "It wasn't bad living there. I just can't forgive them for what they did to our family. To the South Pole, and the North Pole."

"That's not even half of it. They did more."

Katara stared at him, flabbergasted. "There can't be."

"There can be. The Fire Nation is pure evil." Sokka said angrily. "First they took my-our- tribe and then they took our mother. All without pity or humanity. They're savages."

Katara bit back a retort. The Fire Nation wasn't pure evil, look at Zu- _No_. She had to forget him. He was in her past. A dark figure in her past. One not worth remembering. Sokka interrupted her thoughts.

"They attacked us during Fire Lord Sozin's rule, you know. Late into his life, he went crazy. He wanted to take over the world, so he started with the Water Tribes. The only reason that they stopped was because of Avatar Roku. But the Water Tribe was ruined. There were riots. Dad could barely control them when you went to the Fire Nation. We were in pieces. There was no food, no houses, and no people to protect the Tribe. Azulon had just become the Fire Lord, he wasn't like Sozin at all. The attacks had left us stunned. Ruined. We had to send you away. It was to keep you safe. I had to stay behind – we needed all the able bodied men we could get. I'm sorry you had to go Katara. You have no idea how sad it made Mom and Dad. And me."

 **(A/N: Azulon ruled for two years. At his death, he was around 60. Sozin died when he was very old, around 85. Ozai took the throne at the nice age of 38. Just think of it has the Queen Elizabeth II-Prince Charles-Prince William kinda situation.)**

"You had no idea how sad I was, Sokka." Katara said darkly. "Do you know how it feels? Eight years old and sent away from home, alone? To the Fire Nation, of all places? I suppose you don't – it didn't happen to you."

"We're sorry. Mom didn't want to do it. None of this was supposed to happen. It's because of the Fire Nation we had to separate the family. They ruined this tribe."

"Then why did you _send_ me to the Fire Nation? If you thought they were so inhumane?" It took everything in her not to scream.

"It was a peace treaty. We had to have peace, we had to rebuild!" Sokka insisted. "As long as you stayed there, there would be peace. A promise that the Water Tribes will not have revenge and the Fire Nation will not attack us again. At least five years was all we needed to rebuild, or get somewhere close. Then you could come home. We had to give you up, so we could save our Tribe. It was only for a few years, Katara, but you're back now, so you're home."

"A few years? Seven years, Sokka! You missed most of my childhood! I grew up away from my real family and home! You weren't ever there for me when I grew up, Sokka! You, Mom, Dad. All of you. Now I don't even know where I should go, where my home is."

Sokka shook his head. "We had to. For the Water Tribe."

"Did you even rebuild it that much, Sokka?" Katara spat. "Didn't look like much when I got here. Need another seven years? Maybe you can send me to the Earth Kingdom next?"

"You don't know that, Katara. You weren't here."

Katara remained silent. She couldn't help but feel rejected. Like Sokka wasn't making sense.

Sokka suddenly stared at her, eyes wide with fear. "You're a few months early. Why are you back so early?"

"I shouted at the Fire Lord." Katara said in an almost-whisper.

"You _what_?" Sokka thrust his head into his hands. "Oh La…"

"He killed our mother and he laughed! HE LAUGHED, SOKKA! And I knew he was talking about her! I couldn't just shut up about it!" Katara screamed.

"Katara, the peace treaty has been broken! They aren't bound by a contract anymore. Not that they were anyways- the attacks. But now they are completely free. Oh Tui and La… What will we do?"

"Will there be war, Sokka?"

"No. I hope not. Yes. Maybe. I don't know!" Sokka said.

Katara was going to reply but there was a ruffle behind her and she turned to see her father. His bright blue eyes bore straight into her and she stifled a cry.

"Dad." She choked.

"Katara." And he swept her up in his arms. Katara started bawling.

"I've missed you so much, Dad." She clung on to him, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

"Why are you so early?" Her father said, setting her down gently. "Did something happen?" She breathed in the sound of his voice. She savoured it. That was what it sounded like.

"Yes, something did happen. She shouted at Ozai. About Mom." Sokka interjected.

Her father stared at Katara. "What?"

"I did what I had to. He killed Mom. I wasn't going to sit there, Dad." Katara said passionately. "There was no sadness in his eyes. He is cruel, and hateful, and sadistic and he deserved everything I said, and even more."

Hakoda shook his head. "Katara, that was brash. He's the Fire Lord."

"He's nothing more than a murderer."

"That doesn't mean he's not the Fire Lord."

Her father was about to take hold of her shoulders, but she wrenched herself out. "He's a murderer. He's not a Fire Lord to me."

"That doesn't matter though, does it, sweetheart? He can kill as many people as he wants and people will still follow him. He killed your mother, I know. I hate him too. But we can't let hatred cloud our judgement, Katara. Clear your mind. Get some rest."

She was led back into her room, and she felt a wave of nostalgia at setting her eyes upon it. It was the same as she remembered – small, with a large bed littered with stuffed toys. She opened up a basket sitting in the corner and took out her clothes – small blue parkas and wraparound robes trimmed with white. All way too small. She rummaged around her satchel and added her stuffed seal to the collection, smiling at the toys fondly. She remembered playing with them. One was the princess, one was the prince, the other the evil lord… She had always made the princess save the prince, because the prince was kind of lame and didn't know how to save himself, so the princess helped him out. But Katara always had a wedding in the end, because she said the princess loved the prince, lameness and all.

Katara sat down on the bed and stared at the mirror directly opposite her. She was still in her Fire Nation clothing, with her blue parka on, and her hair was in its usual half-up in a bun, half-down style. She untied it, and combed it through with her fingers. She remembered the door next to hers was the bathroom, so she stepped out of the room and into the bathroom. It was a small room, tiny bit smaller than hers, with a screened dug-out on the left, and a trough on the right. At the back of the trough was a plug, which she would have to unplug to allow water to flow in. The water was from a cache on the other side of the wall, at the back of the igloo. She shrugged off each layer of clothing, and gasped when something glinted on her chest. She peeled the necklace away from her skin, and almost choked when she saw what it was.

Zuko's present. The two insignias, twined together, with the two gemstones inlaid. She had worn it ever since Zuko had given it to her, as well as her mother's necklace. It was a beautiful necklace. She had loved it. And it was just showing of their friendship, she had supposed. Right now, Katara wasn't sure whether she should remember Zuko with fondness, or anger. He was Fire Nation, he was the enemy. The Fire Nation took her mother away from her. The Fire Nation destroyed her Tribe. But Zuko was her friend anyways.

 _This is different. I didn't know back then._ Katara fiddled with the necklace a bit. She half-wished she hadn't gone to the Fire Nation in the first place, and was half-thankful she did. She let the necklace drop from her hand into her pile of clothing.

Sokka later found Katara sitting in her room with the Fire Nation clothes back on, staring deeply into the gems on her necklace. He had brought some Water Tribe garb borrowed from next door, and he placed it on her basket of kid clothes.

"What's that?"

He slid in next to her. Katara didn't attempt to hide it.

"A present."

"From who?"

"Zuko." She said after a sigh.

"You have to forget him, Katara. He's Fire Nation, remember? Besides, you'll never see him again. You belong here, with your family. With us. You won't ever have to go back."

 _He's right._ Katara just watched the necklace glint and glimmer.

"He's the enemy Katara. Even if he was nice to you, it doesn't change him being our mother's killer."

Katara felt like protesting at this. Zuko would _never_.

"You have to forget him. If not hate him, forget him. Please, Katara. It will only bring you more pain."

Katara stayed silent.

"Give me the necklace. I'll get rid of it. It'll help, really."

Katara was going to place it in his outstretched hand, but thought not. "No."

"C'mon, Katara. Just do it. It's for your own good."

"No. I'll do it myself." Katara closed her fingers protectively around the necklace. "I won't let you take it."

Sokka's mouth twitched, but he withdrew his hand. "You promise?"

"I do." Katara said. She had made empty promises more than once, so it slid out her mouth like butter.

"It's for your own good, Katara."

"But you don't even know what's good for me anymore," Katara mumbled. "Since you don't even know me at all."

That night, Katara stood on the ice ridge again where she had been taken off the ship. She slid into a sitting position, her legs dangling over the edge precariously. In her hands was the necklace. Despite her determination not to, she had decided to go anyways, and see how it would pan out. The gold chain gleamed silver in moonlight. The waves sloshed happily against the ice, and Katara thought. _This is it._

She brought her fist up into the air, and was about it swing it forwards, when her arm just collapsed back into her lap. She let go, and picked up the necklace gingerly. She couldn't. But she had to forget.

So she tried. Tried so hard, and eventually, she did.

 _Four years later_

Katara strolled back along the path back to her house. She had managed to catch a fish this time, and he couldn't wait to tell Sokka. Or see his face when he found out that he had been wrong. The night before he had been convinced Katara was a hopeless fisher. But she had to show him he was wrong, that she could catch fish. That she could pluck the creature from the sea with precise movement, when he had made up his mind that she couldn't.

Because just a year after Katara had returned from the Fire Nation, she had learnt she could waterbend.

Her mother's necklace bounced against her skin happily as she broke into a run, like a comforting presence and when she entered the house, she spotted Sokka sitting smugly in front of his fishing basket.

"What you got there, sister?" He said proudly, pushing his basket in front of him, tilting it over so she could see what was inside. She could tell that he was trying to be casual about it, but nothing screamed casual to her. It was all HEYLOOKATME, LOOKATMYFISH, MYTHREEFISH, and she couldn't care less.

"I _waterbent_ this fish out of the water, Sokka." She said tartly. When Sokka's jaw dropped, she repeated snarkily, "Oh La! I must have forgotten to mention. I _waterbent_ them out of the water. _With my hands._ " Sokka's face contorted.

"I need some rest. I'm exhausted from _all that fishing._ " Sokka said in reply.

"Oh? Really? I barely lifted a finger. I feel just fine. Perky, even." Katara said. Sokka scowled and stomped off.

She could barely stop herself from whooping in delight. Finally, all of Sokka's stupid sexist quotes about women not being good fishermen, benders, or whatever he said was going to be put to an end. She couldn't wait to tell Dad.

She spent the rest of the day filleting and drying to fish, whistling a tune she couldn't remember the tune to. Her father returned home soon before dinner, and she served them each a filet dried in salts and seaweed. The evening passed quickly, mostly about her trying her hardest to get between Sokka and his fish talk, and interject with the fact she had waterbent a fish out of the creek, to which her father congratulated her heartily.

The sun set quickly, and Sokka was in his room when Katara stuck her head in. "You immature idiot of a brother. Grow up, will you?" She said, irritated. "Sea prunes have more brains than you, and they aren't even living things."

Sokka's jaw dropped for the second time that day, and Katara felt the adrenaline of victory as well.

The next morning, she was woken by the horn's blaring. She sleepily got changed and padded out of the house, and slowly made her way to the meeting hall. She wondered why it was so early and a meeting had been called, but first she had to get there without falling asleep. She sat at her usual spot, next to Sokka, who was next to her father, and listened with half of her attention to what was going on. She was only actually listening when the congregation gasped.

"The Fire Nation has taken over most of the Earth Kingdom now. They have started to attack the Air Nomads. There is word of a mass genocide. The Water Tribes – they will come for us soon as well."

There was a clamour amongst the tribesmen. Katara felt her heart race with fear. War, again. Sokka had told her everything that the Fire Nation had done. Now they kill an entire race? Her anger started to boil at the pit of the stomach. It sizzled and popped when she heard every single word her father uttered.

"They are coming for us soon."

"Where is the Avatar when we need him?"

There was a silence. The crowd parted to reveal an old, hunched woman. "The Avatar will save us. The Avatar will bring peace and balance to the world!"

"Tai, the Avatar is gone. No one knows where he went." Her father said gently. "The Avatar can't help us. If he could, he would have helped us a long time ago."

Tai, the woman, made a gasping sound. It broke Katara's heart, seeing her people so hopeless. So afraid. "But we are stronger now." Her father said. "Our boys have grown into men. Our hands now carry swords. Our barricades have become walls. We are stronger now, and we can face the Fire Nation. They can't knock us done twice!"

There was cheering at this. Katara cheered along, but she kept thinking, _yes they can, yes they can, yes they can._

The week passed relatively quickly. Katara practiced her waterbending every day, making sure to catch at least two fish to keep up with Sokka's fish-hungry hands. Sometimes he would come back with a freshly skinned seal, but that was only one every few weeks. Fish would do for Katara. In the three years she had known she was a waterbender, she had been able to pick up some things. She could move small amounts of water without dropping it, catch fish only with the strongest concentration, and form small, water whips around her fingers. Now, she was trying to learn to freeze things. With no teachers, she had been making up her own movements, guessing what to do, and it had been slow going. Her father had managed to dig up some scrolls on waterbending, and that had helped her with some basic forms, but not very much more. She had to interpret the general moves and way she had to move from the scrolls, and she often got it wrong. The scrolls were not basic waterbending scrolls, but meant for the more experienced bender, but if she tried hard enough and studied them long enough, she could figure out some of the key forms.

She was practicing far away from the tribe, where no one could disturb her concentration, and she had managed to find a place shielded from the wind, which was blocked off by a huge slab of ice jutting out from the surface. She continued practicing, and practicing, but today was particularly infuriating, as she had not been able to freeze more than half of the ice hole she had cut out this morning. And this had been after hours and hours of trying. She gritted her teeth and tried again, but each failure just made her temper worse and worse. She screamed "aarrraaaaRGHHH!" and threw her hands down, and was starting to stomp off when there was a huge crack sound. She turned around, and behind her, the ice slab was starting to crack, and they fell away to release a huge column of light, and reveal a smooth sphere of ice. Against the light, there was a dark silhouette, of a…person. Katara screamed.

"Wait! Wait, give me a minute, I'll get you out of there. Hold on, wait!"

She gathered up whatever was left of her concentration and focused on the sphere of ice. She wrenched her hands apart, making a giant crack in the ice, and closed her fist, trying to make it melt. It worked, miraculously, and the person was released, and she rushed forwards to pick him up. There was a loud thump as a great furry beast landed beside him. She shrieked, terrified. But she looked back at the boy. He was about twelve years old, and had a blue arrow on his head.

"Hello?" Katara pressed her palm onto his cheek. "Are you alright?"

The boy's eyelids fluttered open. A big smile formed on his face. "Hi! Do you want to go penguin sledding with me?"

* * *

Katara laughed heartily. She, Sokka, and Aang were sitting around a fire, eating the roasted komodo sausage Sokka had bought at the village the other day. They were sharing stories, and Sokka was telling one about when he had managed to get two fish hooks in his thumb.

"The first one was because I had hooked myself trying to get the hook out of the fish. The second one was because I used the fish hook to take the first one out."

Aang rolled his eyes. "Why couldn't Katara do it? She's a healer, isn't she?"

Katara shook her head. "No, no, I wasn't there."

Aang was startled. "Then where were you?"

Katara blushed. "It's not something I like to think about, but I was in the Fire Nation."

The conversation stopped there.

* * *

"No Aang, don't do that." Katara bent forwards and gathered the water around her hand. "Do this." With a smart flip of her wrist, the water shot forwards like a whip and smashed the ice target cleanly.

Katara was a master. Travelling with Aang for the last few months had helped her a lot. She had seen the Earth Kingdom, and swamps, and learn bending from Master Pakku, and saved more than one person so far, and it felt great. Toph had joined halfway through their journey, and her Earthbending lessons to Aang were not the best, in Katara's opinion. The sixteen year old blind Earth Kingdom girl had absolutely no shame, something Katara could not admire, and seemed determined to make it as hard to deal with her as possible. But she got the job done, at least. Katara had left home just after she had found Aang, together with Sokka, when they found out he was the Avatar. Their first stop was the Northern Water Tribe, where she had learnt bending, then the Earth Kingdom.

The Earth Kingdom was not very Earth Kingdom-like. It didn't bustle with citizens in green robes, there weren't any earthbenders anywhere that were practicing in the streets. Everywhere there was Fire Nation; red everywhere. Red helmets, black uniforms, the constant heat of firebending to terrorise people. Everywhere she turned - more red uniforms. Katara had bad memories of red.

The gold necklace burnt her skin whenever she saw it. Like a reminder of something in the past. Katara could vaguely remember the person who had given it to her. Tall, handsome, a boy in her past. With a sharp jaw and slanted eyes. His name she had forgotten, maybe because she wanted to, and his face was hazy as well. She remembered warm breath and a voice " _Don't call me Ko"._ And anticipation. Then that was it.

But because the necklace felt heavy and hot and burned whenever she saw Fire Nation, she assumed he was Fire Nation as well. Which was all the more reason to forget some more. She had seen what they had done to people.

After the waterbending training, they went back into town, to look for supplies before moving on to the next city. The town was a major Earth Kingdom town, and there was almost everything they needed. Minus the Fire Nation presence, it was a nice place to be in, she supposed.

When they got there, it was hot again, but there seemed to be more guards. Her heart stopped when a red caravan passed by when they came out of a food shop.

"Make way for the Prince!" The guards in front of the caravan shouted.

The crowds were cut apart by the caravan. Sokka led the group, following it, wanting to see who was inside. Katara noticed the curtain in the window shift, and a single golden eye stare out. It shifted more, and she saw half of a dimly lit face. She locked eyes with the occupant, and it burned. She had only seen only half his face, but why did it feel like she knew all of it?

Katara stepped out of the crowd, and walked briskly back to the shops. She didn't like the feeling of familiarity she had with the Fire Nation boy…scum. Aang, Sokka and Toph came back soon after.

"Let's go," she said quickly. They didn't ask questions.

The next morning, Katara was strolling down the street of the town, looking for some last minute supplies when there was a loud screaming from nearby. She rushed forwards, unplugging her water skin, ready for anything, and quickly identified the source of the noise. In a dark corner of the road, a group of Fire Nation soldiers was standing over a young woman, who was cowering over something, a _child_. The soldiers were beating her furiously, shouting at her to give it back _,_ to take it back _._ She screamed and wrapped herself around the child even more.

"I'll give _you_ something!" Katara said shrilly, as the water kicked forwards and hit the first soldier square in the back. "And take that!" She froze it and turned to face the other soldiers. The smaller one put a whistle to his lips and blew into it forcefully, and Katara hardly cared. She would gladly take on a million Fire Nation soldiers if she had the chance. Her water whips sliced back and forth, and she could hear the pain inflicted, but it was nothing compared to hers. At one point, she grabbed all of the element with all of her energy and swung it everywhere in front of her, shooting them forwards in huge, jet streams. She clenched her fists, freezing it. The soldiers fell around her, the frozen ice surrounding them. Most were unconscious - they would survive. Katara brought her water back into her water skin. Turning, she realized that the woman and child had managed to escape during the fight. Suddenly, there was a thundering behind her, and she felt a blast of red hot fire, and everything went black.

She woke up in a dark, wooden cell. Within minutes, a guard came by and opened the door violently, shoving her out. "There's someone you have to see."

She was led down a dark corridor, and slowly, the dark, barred windows were replaced by simple shuttered ones and stone walls turned to wallpapered ones. She was led into an ornate room, which was very similar to a throne room, probably as there was a giant seat right at the front. She was brought before it, and made to kneel down. She did so, but not without a loud grumbling.

"Your Highness, the prisoner."

A man stepped out from behind the wall in front of her. He was wearing simple red-and-gold trimmed robes, and the traditional Fire Nation shoulder-piece spiked his shoulders. She could not see his face, so she turned her head up, and almost gagged.

On the side of his face, was a giant scar. Mutilated, blistered flesh, red, ruined skin around a slanted golden eye. On the other side, perfect, but on this side, an ugliness beyond imagination. An ugliness that sickened. Katara felt a twinge of something, but could not imagine what he would have looked without the scar.

"So you are the girl that attacked my soldiers." He said quietly. His voice was deep, raspy. It struck a chord.

"My apologies, but you forget to mention that they were attacking an innocent woman and her child." Katara spat.

She remembered those eyes. This was the man she had seen the in the caravan. But this time, she could not feel the heavy weight on her neck that the golden necklace usually gave her. Her hands flew to her neck as the man produced it from his pocket. He almost looked nostalgic, as he looked at it, but it quickly disappeared when he turned back to her.

"Where'd you get this, peasant?" He said sharply.

"That's mine." She hissed. "Give it back."

"Who gave it to you?"

"A friend." She said. She regretted the words that came out of her mouth, because they weren't true. Because Ko was not her friend. He was Fire Nation. _Wait, what? Who ever said that Ko had given it to her?_ Her eyebrows furrowed.

"I see." There was a flash of emotion in his eyes. He locked eyes with her again. (Warm breath) and Katara felt her heart beat faster. Like she knew him. But she didn't even know his name. How could she-? "You are very familiar. What's your name?" He asked quietly.

"Kya." Katara lied.

"Oh." He stepped forwards, and looked deeply into her eyes. "Then I must be mistaken." He turned around so his back faced her. "Take her away." Katara felt her heart wrench out of place when she was dragged away. Like she was leaving something that she didn't want to. But there was nothing more she wanted to do _than_ to leave this god-forsaken throne room.

* * *

"Do you know who that man in the caravan was?" She asked Sokka later.

"He's the Prince of the Fire Nation. Prince Zuko."

"Prince Zuko." Katara said. She felt like she had said it before. She missed her necklace.

* * *

The next time Katara met Prince Zuko, it was in Ba Sing Se, in the Crystal Catacombs. She had squatted in them, alone for so long. Then she heard a tumbling, and angry yell, and earth thundering closed. She crept in that direction, and there he was. Yelling angrily at an earthen wall. She cursed silently.

When he saw her, he suddenly went silent.

"You." Said Prince Zuko. "The girl with the necklace."

"What a miracle, the Prince of the Fire Nation remembers me. Thank you for the honour, your royal Highness." Katara said hatefully. She swung around and walked back to where she had been squatting before he came.

After another moments silence, Katara continued. "I'd like my necklace back. I expect you'll give it to me, since you seem to associate me with it."

"I don't have it." Said Prince Zuko simply.

Katara peered at him. The scar, the hair which hung down in messy clumps. There was something so utterly familiar about Prince Zuko, but everything about him was foreign. It felt like déjà vu. Like they'd been here before. She dug through her mind.

"What are you doing down here?" Katara questioned.

"I was betrayed. She said I could come home. But she lied. Azula always lies."

"Azula?"

"My sister."

"Oh. I think I remember her." Pictures of a mean-faced child flashed across her mind's eye. With black hair and merciless eyes.

"Why do you care?" Prince Zuko's sweltering eyes turned to her.

"It's fascinating to see a prince in a prison. I'm a witness to a historic event. Write it down in the history books. Whatever. I don't know. Tui and La, why does everyone who's not Fire Nation always seem to have an ulterior motive?" Katara fumed. "I'm curious, that's all."

"Oh."

Katara's mouth snapped shut after this. She didn't feel like talking to the enemy right now. Not ever, actually. They spent many long minutes in silence when there was a sudden sharp intake of breath from Zuko. Katara swivelled around, and realized that Zuko was staring straight at her.

"You said your name was…was Kya, right?" Zuko questioned, still maintaining a distance.

"Yes."

"Is your name really Kya?" Prince Zuko said softly.

"Why d'you ask? Spirits, you must be curious about a peasant!" Katara replied. She had meant to say "No".

"I knew a girl. We were friends for the longest time, but I can't remember what she looked like because I tried so hard to forget her."

"Why are you telling me this?" Katara said warily. "I don't know your personal life."

"You...you…" Prince Zuko cut it short. "We would sit and feed the turtleducks together. The sun on her face always made her eyes look so beautiful."

Katara hated this. "Stop it. Shut up. You are my enemy, I shouldn't be talking to you. I shouldn't be able to even look at you." She shut her eyes tight. This made her enemy so much more human, less like the monster her mind had made him out to be. She couldn't let it. She opened her eyes wide, fixing Prince Zuko with a determined glare.

"Why?" Zuko's eyes wandered over hers, pinpointing something she couldn't see.

"Other than the fact you've ruined so many people's lives because of your own greed? Oh, you went and took my mother away from me."

Prince Zuko was silent for a moment. "I'm sorry. Then that's one thing we have in common." In his eyes shone a sudden enlightenment.

Katara choked. She felt the tears streaming down her face now. "How could you understand? You are Fire Nation. The Fire Nation always has to win while the rest suffer."

"There is more than enough suffering on my end." Prince Zuko said, staring straight into her soul, searching. Like he knew something she didn't.

"Your name isn't Kya, isn't it?"

"No, it isn't." Katara whispered.

"The girl I talked about. Her mother was called Kya."

Katara's heart stopped for a moment. Her mind cleared. The necklace, the jawline, the voice. The eyes, oh, the eyes.

"Zuko." She breathed.

"Yes, it's me." Zuko said in reply, his voice even more soft.

"What happened to you?" And she flew at him, wrapping her arms around him so tight his breath was stuck in his throat. "What did they do to you?"

"They couldn't hurt me more than sending you away." Zuko said. "What they did to me was nothing to what they did to my heart."

"Oh, my friend, oh Zuko, my best friend." Katara said, choked. "How could I ever even try to forget you?"

"I'm just glad I remembered. Your eyes are so beautiful in the light." Zuko replied.

Then the earth burst open and along with Uncle Iroh, came all of the things Katara had tried so hard to forget. Seven years of memories can't really beat four years of trying to erase them.

Sokka was less than welcoming when Zuko was introduced into the group. Aang was more than welcoming. Toph didn't really care, she just said he was okay. It would take a few days before Sokka would stop giving Zuko the side-eye and instead start energetic conversations on swords and a Master Piandao who Sokka seemed so enamoured by. "Have you _seen_ his parries?" Sokka would gush. "Soooo smooth. And his defence? Oh, so solid. You can't knock a sword out of that man's grip – like steel, I'm telling you!"

Aang took his Firebending lessons from Zuko very seriously, and sometimes Katara would watch. It was hypnotising - red flame. It (He) was beautiful, like dragons dancing up and down, only ruining what should be ruined. It was a burst of colour – yellow, red, gold, sometimes white, and blue. All wound into fire which burst out of the Avatar and Fire Prince's knuckles.

Katara would just stay awake at night thinking of how happy she was. Zuko, her best friend, the one she had tried so hard to forget, the one she had tried so hard to hate – was back. No longer flitting in and out of her memory, but back in her life. For real. Right now. Right then. Forever. (She hoped)

* * *

The day before Aang went to face the Fire Lord, Zuko and Katara sat by the fire, staring as Zuko practiced his firebending on a tiny lick of fire that floated above his knuckles.

"So, you'll be going back to the Fire Nation?" Katara enquired. It had been a question weighing down on her for a while now.

"I guess so. There's no other place I can think of. If Aang succeeds, I would be Fire Lord, wouldn't I?"

"Yeah, you're right. You'll be a good Fire Lord." She said.

"It's not that hard to be easier than my father." Zuko said dryly. "Just stop trying to kill everyone."

Katara rolled her eyes. "It's much harder than that. You'll have to prove that the Fire Nation is willing to change. You have to get rid of your reputation. All the other Nations pretty much hate you."

"Like I don't know that."

"I'll help you. All of us can - me, Sokka, Aang, Toph." Katara said brightly. "It'll be fun."

"I would have thought you'd go back to the Water Tribe? Isn't it where you've always wanted to be?"

Katara didn't know how to answer. "I suppose. But you're still my friend. I won't ever not be there for you. We're all your friends."

"Even if you're miles away." Zuko commented. He sounded disdainful.

Katara didn't say anything for a while. Zuko's finger-fire-things flared bigger. "Maybe I will go back to the Fire Nation, y'know. One day. Visit the palace again." She said casually.

"You will?" Zuko said hopefully.

"Maybe. Fate has a strange path for me sometimes."

"You'll always be welcome." Zuko said quickly.

"Whoa, calm down. You're not Fire Lord yet, Zuko. Let's wait until you actually can call the shots."

Zuko laughed. "But why would you want to come back?"

"I did live there for seven years Zuko. It's as much my home as the Southern Water Tribe is."

"I'd say you're torn, Katara." Zuko replied seriously.

"I am." Katara admitted after a moment. "It's weird. I'm in the Fire Nation, and I want to go back to the Tribes. Then I'm in the Water Tribes, then I want to go back to the Fire Nation."

"You'll have to decide eventually. You can't keep going back and forth."

"Yeah, I know."

"Home doesn't have to be a place y'know," said Zuko. "That's what Uncle told me." He said, a blush on his cheeks when Katara threw an amused glance at him. "You know how philosophical he is. I'm telling you, it's all that jasmine tea. It messes with him."

"Thanks, Zuko." Katara said genuinely. "I can always count on you."

"Of course, always." Zuko smiled back. It was one of his rare smiles. Katara took it and held it in her heart.

"I'm glad I remembered you back there in the Crystal Catacombs. Memories have a weird way of hiding themselves and then revealing themselves when we least expect it."

"I suppose I could say for once that I'm glad that Azula lied to me."

Katara laughed. Zuko took that and held it in his heart as well.

* * *

And finally, on the day after Zuko was coronated Fire Lord, the week after Katara knelt by his side, healing him after he jumped in from of lightning ( _for her_ ) they stood on the balcony, staring out at Ba Sing Se.

"It's good to be here." Katara said happily. "With you." She added, a swelling in her heart.

"Isn't it?" Zuko said. They didn't speak for a while, just admired the scenery for a bit.

"Zuko," Katara said slowly. "Would you ever give me up?" _Like Sokka and Dad and Mom did, for all the right reasons, but they gave me up to the Fire Nation anyways. When I was eight. When I was a child. Gave up the chance to see me grow, for peace. For the Water Tribe. But not for me._

"Why would I? You're Katara. Waterbending Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe."

Katara wrapped his hand in hers briefly, smiling gently at him.

"Katara, I've been meaning to say this, but," Zuko stopped. "Thank you."

"Thank _you_ ," Katara said earnestly. "You are my friend. My best friend." She stopped for a minute, and added hesitantly, "I love you for that Zuko."

Zuko blushed deeply. "It's not just that." Zuko slipped his hand into his pocket, and withdrew a black box. He pressed it into Katara's hands. He seemed like he was holding back something.

"Open it."

Katara cracked the box open, and smiled. Her necklace. She lifted it from the box, and held it up into the light. It glimmered and shone like sunlight. Like gold. She met his eyes again; they were the gold of her necklace.

"My present."

"I'm sorry I didn't give it to you sooner. I never found the right time."

"Why would you need to wait until the right time, Zuko? You could have just given it to me whenever, and I would have been just as happy."

"I had to wait for the right time, so I could tell you-" Zuko coughed awkwardly. "So I could tell you that I've loved you since we were children and so that I could do this."

Katara was taken aback by his profession, until Zuko brought her close and kissed her. And she let him. And she remembered this time, years back, when they were dancing, and his warm breath tickling her nose. And when he stepped away she cupped his face firmly with both hands and said, "Fire Lord Zuko, I love you too, and I'm sorry I ever tried to forget you." He was going to reply but then she kissed him for the second time, and everything just fell into place.

* * *

Post Script: The next time Fire Lord Zuko kissed the Waterbender Katara, it was right after they both said "I do". The rings gleamed on each of their ring fingers as the rest of the world clapped and cheered, Zuko's hand resting on her waist and Katara's resting against his neck. And so it started – their life.

You probably were not expecting this. That was my mother and father's story, as if plucked from their air as they told it to eager ears and pressed onto paper; word for word. Their funeral was yesterday. So here it is – my bedtime story – the one they told me every night when I couldn't, or didn't want to fall asleep.

I urge you to not forget it, and pass it down, so all children may hear the life of a handsome prince and his beautiful princess just before they go to sleep. If it becomes a legend – so be it, let the memory live on – in honour of one of the best Fire Lord Fire Lady's that we, have ever seen.

I write this be to be their final mark on this nation. It is their last, so may it last the longest. I honour my parents with this story. Spirits bless their souls. They are happy together.

-F.L.K.

 **This is probably the longest one shot I have ever written. Anyhoo, we hope you liked it xx. I dont know what to think about the ending, but I really wanted it to end differently as compared to my other two fics. see ya tomorrow for day 4 of zutara week! (which is super fun so far, there are so many great fanfics and such flawless fanart!)**

 **-the2noobs yO!**


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